Made In L.A., 2014: Wu Tsang, 34.35

Made In L.A. is returning to the Hammer on June 15 and will showcase thirty five emerging and/or under-recognized Los Angeles artists. The show will offer a Public Recognition Award of $25K to an artist that YOU vote on. In order to help you make an educated vote this Summer and get a better sense of all the artists, we’re counting down to Made In L.A. by sharing mini-profiles of each artist.

Wu Tsang is a video, performance, and installation artist who makes work concerned with public and private spaces, related to sexuality and the display of sexuality and gender.

What does this artist make? Tsang is an artist whose work is concerned with showing another world. He often turns public, esteemed spaces like museums into private, intimate spaces that closely represent dressing rooms and bars frequented by Latin/LGBTQ communities. GREEN ROOM at the 2012 Whitney Biennial provided a dressing room for performers as his documentary WILDNESS played, which is a film about East Los Angeles minority bar, the Silver Platter. Performance and video piece Full Body Quotation has ear-pieced performers lipsynching dialogue from trans-cinema while neon sign THE FIST IS STILL UP is a moving political statement recalling minority movements past.

What makes this artist very L.A.? Much of Tsang’s work has come out of the Silver Platter and is inspired by that world. He even opened an art space/activists’ hub called IMPRENTA next door the bar. His work is very much addressing both Los Angeles transgender and immigration issues.

What might this artist bring to Made In L.A.? Unsure—but there will likely be a performance and installation aspect to it. Perhaps there will be more work born of the Silver Platter?

Who from the past Made In L.A. will this artist remind you of? Tsang has collaborated with Zackary Drucker before and, while addressing the same topic, the artists are very different. Otherwise, thre weren’t any other artists from the previous Made In L.A. like Tsang.